Pantanal and Bonito 2017

terça-feira, 7 de novembro de 2017

PANTANAL & BONITO 2017 is ending today! :(It was a fantastic trip, full of adventures, discoveries and experiences! We're glad everyone enjoyed it so much! We would like to thank all the exchange students, our Coordinators, monitors, Chaperones, guides, suppliers, drivers, as well as Rotary, Officers, Families and Host Families for all the support!See you all in Northeast December 2017...coming!#IamTerraBrasil#PantanalandBonito2017withTerraBrasil

Hi everyone,Today was probably the best day. We leave like everyday at 7:30 to go to Rio da Praia, where we saw lots of different fish, really beautiful, and some really big. Unfortunately we were separated in different group, so everyone did their own ride with their group, but was nice for everyone. When we were in the water everything was really different that on the earth, like all the thing you can see are so beautiful, you just want to spend your entire life admiring this, it was like two different worlds when you were looking outside and inside the water. We learn to float to follow the stream of the river, was really strange at the beginning but we get accustomed. Some of the groups had the chance to see anaconda, they said that was just incredible and a bit scaring because it was really big, like 5 meters. During the ride into the water we found a place where we could deep, so we took pictures there, and had lot of fun, was really nice, and then we came back to the reception, to have lunch, because for some groups that came back late they were very hungry. After the lunch we came back to the hotel to take a shower and get ready for the talents show, our last night all together, so everyone is sad to leave this fabulous place but we spend a really good night, having fun, dancing, and singing. Everyone show us their talents, so was really nice, we were happy I share this experience all together. We said thank you to all the staff, cause they did an amazing job for and with us, so we were just so sad to leave them too. And then was the time to come back to the hotel to prepare our begs and everything, and for the last night Fred our coordinator, let us stay awake until 3 am, so we are so happy to have this long curfew.

We say thank you again to everyone, for all the fabulous job they did, cause without them all of that couldn’t be possible, and they just made us dream.
I hope you liked this last day in Bonito, and thank you to read us.
Bye.

segunda-feira, 6 de novembro de 2017

We went at 8h30min at the cave Lago Azul. It was an amazing experience . We went to downtown of Bonito to eat in restaurants at afternoon. Later we went to do rafting. There were 3 waterfalls to cross. We could swim in the river. Because of the rain the water of the river was darker than usually. It was really funny to throw water to one boat to an other and to play with our friends. It was tired but also really cool because it was a natural academy. Then we come back at the hotel to take a shower and be prepared to go to the center to eat with our friends. We also could chill with our friends in the city. Later we came to the hotel and we had a meeting. The organizator showed us a video of other trip. Then we had free time to listen music, play cards or just talk with friends.

domingo, 5 de novembro de 2017

After staying awake way too late talking to my new friends from all over the world, I woke up to my alarm exhausted yet ready to take on the new day. Hannah and I got dressed and grabbed some breakfast in a rush. We then boarded the bus and went on a short bus ride to our first activity in Bonito! We played some music aboard the bus and sang and danced even if we didn’t know the song or the language it was in. The landscape here in Mato Grosso do Sul, reminds me of home. Many fields,hills and vegetation.
We soon arrived to the forest we would soon explore. When I first arrived I did not know what to expect.

The exchange students all gathered together in a meeting place where we hung out together and waited to see what was next. The groups all began to go their separate ways and get dressed into the gear we would need for the trek. We got boots and life vests and wore those for the hike and the waterfalls. After that was all finished we loaded up on the trucks and drove to the beginning of the trail. We begin walking and I noticed how green everything was and saw that it was so beautiful. I saw trees I’ve never seen and many little insects that I didn’t know existed. After a short hike through the jungle,we arrived at the first waterfall where we swam and took many pictures to remember these moments. Our group continued to explore more of the jungle and all the other waterfalls. At one place we heard that a snake was spotted. Stanley, my groups chaperone saw that I was scared about that and scared me by acting like a log was a snake… I screamed and it was all caught on video too. They all laughed and I was fine with that because I found it funny too. Another thing we did was that we took a trip on a boat down a river. It was fun because we got to row the boat! Lastly for our jungle adventure was jumping off the cliff. It was about six meters high and it brought so much adrenaline when you jumped off. This was by far the highlight of my day. When this was all over we went back to the place we first arrived and saw there was another group of rotary exchange students. It was cool meeting everyone and some people even reunited with people they knew from back home! After we ate lunch we went to the Projetojiboa, which is a snake protection project where they educate people on snakes. We all got to hold a snake but I was afraid because I don’t like snakes. It was very interesting to learn about them though! To end the night we went to downtown Bonito where we ate dinner, walked around and where I had my first real Brazilian açaí! I had no idea I would enjoy it so much. All the exchange students and I hung out at a table and we probably looked crazy to outsiders because we were all laughing and speaking about five different languages to communicate. We ended up coming back to the hotel and will hang out until 12:30 tonight. After today, I am excited to see what tomorrow brings!

sexta-feira, 3 de novembro de 2017

Today we woke up like everyday at 6:30 to leave the camp at 7:30. In the morning we went with everyone to make a walk in the jungle. It was already super hot at 8am, but we saw beautiful places. In the forest we had the chance to see monkeys! And of course a lot of mosquitos and ants, too much actually... We saw trees that litteraly killed other trees, we saw so many different species of plants. After one hour and a half, we arrived back at the camp. We enjoyed the pool for the rest of the morning and made our luggages ready. After dinner we left Pantanal and went by bus to Bonito. After like 5 hours of bus we arrived at the hotel. There is a pool, a tennis court, a volleyball court, and way less mosquitos!! Tonight we ate pizza! It was really good! We all exchanged our pins and are enjoying the rest of the night. We're all very excited for the activities of tomorrow!

Lets say the day began like usual: tired, and sleepy, However, we were really anxious and excited for the new adventures and activities yet to enjoy. The day began with a beautiful sunrise, in which we could admire its splendorous colors. After a delicious breakfast, the group 2 had to wake up earlier than the other groups, this to had a better chance to see more animals during the safari through the wetlands. During the safari, the group 2 had the opportunity to find giant spider webs, the skulls of a monkey, and a family of pigs walking around. While group 2 was doing this activity, group 1 went to fish one of the most dangerous species (fish) in Brazil. Do you know what it is? its the Piranha, the famous fish with the sharpest teeth. This group was able to fish aroun 30 piranhas that later during the day will had to be cleaned, prepared, and cooked for diner!

The group 3, the exchange students went to the stable to get the horses and get ready for the trip. On this trip, the group enjoyed of the scenic praire and environment around, but not without the help of our fantastics horses. After coming back from tiring trip with the horses, they had a refreshing drink called Terere, just like soldiers from Brasil and Paraguay once did.

At 7 o clock everyone was already in line with their plates to receive a delious churrasco, congratulating the chefs and alll the people that prpepared the 3 different kinds of meat, lamb, cow, and pork with the side of the traditional Brasilian rice.

Later the same night, we gave Pantanal a warm farewell with a big bonfire that really WARMED us up! After having conversations and really funny games around the bonfire, We played some music to everyone to dance. Then we staarted a new game with playing cards in which the looser had to choose from truth or dare. At the end of the day, everyone went back to their rooms to sleep and rest for the new upcoming adventures Terra has yet to offer us.